Dolly Parton family statement in full on death of the country music legend

Dolly Parton’s family announced her death in an emotional video posted to her Instagram page on Tuesday. The country music legend died at age 80 after battling undisclosed health issues. She was candid about her struggles after the death of her husband of 60 years Carl Dean, a businessman who she met at age 18 on the same day she moved to Nashville.

Parton told People on Friday that she had recently been through some “hard times with my health” but was keeping busy. Below is her family’s announcement of her death in full, delivered by her nephew, Bryan Seaver. As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment, but haven’t truly felt it until now.

It is an honor, an honor mixed with absolute pride and great sadness,” he said. Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens. I first went on the road with Dolly as a kid, getting a taste of the road life in the 1980s.

Dolly opened doors, not just for me, but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn’t even know was possible. Dolly also opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians, and dreamers from every walk of life and across every continent. She never saw a door she couldn't open, and the doors she opened made and changed history.

My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you. She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD, and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family, whether you liked it or not. Dolly was a farmer, just like her Daddy.

He farmed the soil; she farmed songs and happiness. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.